After The Fall
by Kaylee's teddy
Summary: Buffy and Faith survived the Final Battle. Will they finally lower their defenses and be together? Post-Chosen angsty fuffy
1. Chapter 1

Title:

Author: Kaylee's Teddy

Rating: PG-13, for character death, f/f relationships and general angst

Summery: Post-Chosen, set directly after the bus drives into the sunset. No connection to season eight. Buffy and Faith survived the final battle. Now what? Slightly angsty Fuffy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Faith or anything else BTVS related. Joss said let there be scripts and they were good, they were very, very, good.

Robin Wood was dead. Faith wasn't surprised that he hadn't made it, that he'd gone to sleep an hour and a half into the ride and never woken up.

They didn't find out for another two hours, once they'd found themselves a decent sized town and rolled into the hospital parking lot. Faith was surprised that she cried, was even more surprised when it was Buffy who came to comfort her, closing Robins eyes before turning to envelope her in a tight embrace. Faith now sobbing, hysterical, burying her face against Buffy's dirty, bloody shoulder and seriously wondering if the world hadn't ended after all, because really this was something she was sure would only happen after the apocalypse.

Faith wrapping her fists in Buffy's jacket trying to stifle her tears against her shoulder, hoping to shock herself into composure with the scent of battle and death still clinging to Buffy's clothing. But it was no good, and the only thing that remained clear was the sound of Buffy's voice, exhausted but soothing, whispering softly somewhere above her. The words hardly mattered and Faith was only vaguely aware of them anyway, in the same way she was only vaguely aware of Xander and Kennedy standing just inside the doorway, or of the rest of the Scooby's and mini's clustered just outside, or of Robin's body sitting stiffly in the seat above them, as if watching over the entire scene. What was clear was Buffy, Buffy talking to her, stroking her hair, completely and utterly sincere. And it must be the end of the world.

Buffy stays with her until they are inside, seating her gently in one of the waiting room chairs before multiple voices whisk her off into the swirl of girls and injuries. "Just stay here ok.." Buffy implores and waits until Faith gives a slight nod before she pushes herself out of her seat and strides off. Nurses spin around the waiting room checking vitals, accessing severe injuries, assuring the more stable that they will be seen shortly. Faith catches parts of whispered conversations, so young…severe internal injuries…bite marks…. But no one asks any direct questions, the reports have just started to come in…an earthquake, a failed military experiment, a dramatic groundwater collapse, this is where the bus full of girls has come from and no one wants an explanation. Faith watches Willow being led to an open room Exhaustion, she hears a resident whisper, Kennedy follows closely behind, a nurse trailing in her wake stammering something about family only but Kennedy marches through and no one dares to challenge her, Faith doubts that Kennedy will leave Willows side tonight. It doesn't take long before one of the nurses notices the blood collecting at Buffy's thigh and rushes her off to the back, barking something about reopened wounds and immediate stitches. Faith wants to follow, doesn't want Buffy to go alone, but Dawn is there in a moment, her arm around Buffy's waist, convincing her to do as she's told, leading her away and Faith sinks back into her chair again.

She needs to get out of here.

It's not hard to sneak off, with this much activity everyone is sufficiently occupied not to notice as Faith simply slides out the front door. As she goes Faith glances at three potentials that have managed to doze off; surrounded by the noise and activity.

. Each is curled into an uncomfortable waiting room chair, pulled close together as if each needed the proximity of the other. Faith envies them.

Faith passes Giles as she's walking towards the street, leaning in the darkness just beyond a lamppost, back turned to her, talking into his cell phone. She catches snippets of the conversation as she passes him, trauma ward…death toll…LA... She wonders who he's calling. Angel? The council? His mysterious long distance girlfriend? Faith doesn't care too much who's on the other end, she's just glad that the contact proves there's still some kind of outside world.

Faith wants to be drunk; she wants to be really drunk. That goal in mind Faith sidles into the nearest liquor store glad that she's made it before closing, surprised that it's still that early, her sense of time is really off. She buy's a cheap bottle of something hard, trying not to notice as the handful of customers gawk at her appearance. Faith holds out the money to the cashier, noticing a long blood smear spread out along the right arm of her jacket, Faith pulls her arm back and wonders briefly if the blood belongs to Buffy or Robin and doesn't blame the skinny guy working the register for locking the door behind her as she leaves.

Faith is sitting at the back of the bus. It's familiar, the way she used to pick the last subway car back in Boston. Slouching down so she'll be invisible, safe from wandering bands of teenage boys, or now… exhausted mini slayers. Some things never change. Faith sits alone, alone while the mini's rally beside their fallen comrades and Giles tries to plan their next move and Andrew plays round after round of hearts with Xander, as if letting him win for three hours straight could make up for his loss and Buffy…

"Faith?" Buffy's voice sounds weakly from the doorway of the bus. Faith freezes mid-thought unsure if she's heard correctly.

Faith? Buffy asks again. Apparently Buffy comes looking for her.

Faith considers staying silent, of hiding there in the back of the bus until Buffy leaves, of sneaking off before the others have been discharged, of running, running, running…but it's too late for that now. Faith takes a swig from the bottle in her hand and clears her throat experimentally. "I'm here" Faith manages to croak out, she takes another deeper pull from the bottle and tries again. "I'm here" Faith says more strongly this time "I'm in the back B" Faith can hear the hesitation as Buffy climbs slowly into the bus, she can just make out the shadow of Buffy's body as she makes her way carefully up the center aisle. She's barely three rows away before Faith can see her clearly, she looks better now, she's wearing different clothes, hospital freebies most likely, simple but clean and the disturbing blood stain along her center is gone now. Faith's glad for that at least.

Faith shifts a little to make room for Buffy in the seat next to her and is only a little surprised when Buffy sits down without comment; it's not the strangest thing to happen today. Faith hands Buffy the bottle of scotch she's been nursing for the past two hours. "Shouldn't you be resting?" Faith asks as Buffy takes a preliminary swig. "They wanted me to stay but I convinced them to have me discharged." Buffy takes another swallow and hands the bottle back to Faith "I never did like hospitals." Buffy finishes Faith smiles into the darkness and nods slightly, she gets that.

"Giles was looking for you." Buffy says and Faith is glad to have a more standard conversation topic. "Yeah?" Faith asks "What about?" she finishes the question by taking another swig, cradling the bottle in her hands. "He got a hotel, finally convinced a few of the girls to go to bed, he thought you might need a rest." Faith nods "Probably should but I don't think I'd sleep anyway." Faith doesn't want to say how touched she is that someone actually thought about her.

"How is everybody?" Faith asks covering her discomfort with another long swallow. Buffy sighs a little, "It's not bad really, a few serious injuries, Rona, Megan, Willow…" Buffy trails off. Faith looks out the busses square window giving Buffy a moment to find her voice. "It will be a couple of days." She finishes. Faith nods and Buffy gestures for the bottle again swallowing back a generous amount and taking a few deep breaths before turning to speak to Faith directly, "Giles, wants to keep everyone moving on to LA. He's talking about sending a group of five or so ahead in the morning." Faith nods, glad they have some course of action. "Do you have any ideas about who?" Faith asks. Buffy nods thoughtfully, "I'd like to keep Xander moving, although he's not so fond of Angel so maybe not and Andrew has essentially refused to leave his side so, he'd have to go too…" Faith grins a little, it was clear that Andrew was determined to remain, as close to Xander as possible and despite the whining to the contrary, it was equally clear that Xander preferred to have him around. Guess he got used to something small and annoying following after him, Faith thinks and then shakes it off. Anya is dead and the dead deserve some respect.

"Giles of course," Buffy continues as Faith focuses back on the conversation at hand,

"And one of the less injured girls…Vi maybe, she came through all right or Sara, she seems strong enough." Buffy muses. "That's four B." Faith replies taking the bottle of scotch back as it dangles precariously close to falling from Buffy's fingers. Buffy is startled by the action and she glances around nervously, "Yes," Buffy says composing herself, "…umm Faith…I'd…I'd like you to go as well. I mean…I'd like you to lead. You and Angel have a history, " a slight grimace there but Buffy moves through it "…and you have the most experience. I was hoping you'd be in front for this one." Buffy keeps her eyes fixed on a spot just outside the window. "Wouldn't you rather go yourself?" Faith asks cautiously. Buffy turns sharply and gives Faith a withering look, Faith feels a surge of anger flare through her chest but it burns out quickly and then she's tired, so tired of all of this. "I'm not, you know, messing with you or anything." Faith says firmly "it's just my leadership skills tend to end with somebody in a coma…" Buffy chuckles slightly and Faith stops, unexpectedly hurt by the response, she makes a move to get up, is in fact already crawling over Buffy to get into the aisle when Buffy reaches up and lays a hand on her arm, "I'm sorry… Please don't go." Buffy pleads. Faith hesitates, distracted by the heat from Buffy's hand and wanting to run, run but instead she slides back down into her seat. Faith's not sure why, maybe it's because she's never really heard Buffy apologize before, at least not to her.

Faith settles herself back into her seat. The constant tension between them is starting to grate on Faiths nerves and she stares out the window looking for any kind of distraction. Buffy stares out the opposite window playing absently with a hole in the vinyl seating between them, Faith shifts uncomfortably, wishing she'd take her hand away, needing a little more distance. They are so quiet that she can swear she can hear Buffy's heartbeat. She can see Xander walking out of the hospital doors, Andrew trailing at his side, presumably headed to the hotel and bed. She can hear Andrew talking but can't make out what he's saying, just a constant hum of words. Faith watches them carefully Xander striding straight ahead, while Andrew babbles along by his side. Faith catches a few words, something about secondary mutations in the x-men and finds herself smiling in spite of herself…the whole thing is just too ridiculous. Faith turns a little and notices that Buffy is watching and Faith nods her head in the direction of the retreating pair, "I mean if you're just trying to pack me off with Andrew…" Buffy laughs out loud and Faith is so startled that she starts laughing right along with her, after all , it makes about as much sense as anything else.

The laughter fades and Buffy picks up the conversation again, " As much as I'll miss hearing about the end of the romulan, klingon alliance," Buffy giggles a little and Faith relaxes into the sound. "I'd really prefer if you'd go along, you've worked with Angels team before and you seem to have recovered better from the…." Buffy doesn't finish that sentence takes a different tack instead, "Besides Giles thinks I should stay and heal a while. Apparently really large blades aren't great for your internal organs." Buffy smiles a little as she pulls the bottle back from Faith, their fingers brushing slightly as she does so.

Faith let's her eyes fall into her lap instantly regretting the words as the slip off her drunken tounge, "I remember." She whispers and Buffy falls silent. Faith wishes she didn't always say the wrong thing, wishes they didn't always end up here, here at the edge of pain and regret. Faith just wants to make it better and she blames the alcohol when she finds herself leaning over to touch the bandage peeking from underneath the worn edge of Buffy's t-shirt. Buffy flinches slightly but she hides it well. "Is it bad?" Faith asks as Buffy pretends that the contact isn't making her nervous. "It's ok, needed stitches, it will probably scar." Buffy answers continuing to watch as Faith draws her fingers along the edge of Buffy's shirt. Faith nods her head sagely and gives in to the temptation to lay her hand against Buffy's abdomen. "Now we'll match." Faith says looking up to meet Buffy's eyes. Buffy stares back and Faith has never known that anything could hurt this much. Very slowly as if she's scared Faith will pull away Buffy brings her hand across to rest on top of Faiths and they just sit there, fingers intertwined, listening to each other breathe. Faith thinks Buffy leans first but she can't be sure, the kiss is soft and sweet and tastes like hope and ashes, something both frightening and achingly familiar. A car alarm goes off somewhere a little to close and Buffy startles and pulls away. The moment broken Buffy stands up rather abruptly, " I should go, Dawn was trying to get Kennedy to eat something…" Faith stands quickly, " Yeah, I should go too." Faith feels around in the darkness for the cap to the now mostly empty bottle of scotch, gives up and abandons the bottle as she scrambles after Buffy.

"Faith" Buffy say's quietly stopping just outside the bus her face still bathed in shadows

"Yeah?" Faith asks looking down towards Buffy's face. Buffy is moving closer now, climbing back up the stairs so that she's just below Faith, standing in the doorway. "Faith I…. I needed to tell you..." she's nervous now, staring down at her borrowed shoes, twisting the thigh of the give away pants between her fingers. Faith sways a little and grabs the side of the bus for support. Buffy falters and Faiths heart breaks for her. "I think I need to say it before I get used to the fact that the world isn't ending" Buffy seems to make some kind of decision with that sentence and it's shocking how quickly the transformation takes place, a blink and she's there; solid and determined, looking directly up into Faith's eyes Buffy quickly closes the few steps between them and leans up to lay the lightest of kisses against Faiths lips. "I love you too." Buffy whispers.

For the second time that day Faith finds herself sobbing in Buffy's arms, curled in Buffy's lap on the cold metal floor of the bus. Only this time the words are crystal clear and Faith doesn't know what to say just holds on tightly as Buffy tells her how much she loves her, strokes her hair and lays soft kisses along her cheeks and jaw line. It must be the end of the world, because Faith has never felt this good.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: After the Fall

Author: Kaylee's Teddy

Rating: PG-13, f/f relationships and some light swearing

Summary: Post-Chosen, set directly after the bus drives into the sunset. No connection to season eight. Buffy and Faith survived the final battle. Now what? Slightly angsty Fuffy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Faith or anything else BTVS related. Joss said let there be scripts and they were good, they were very, very, good.

Note: This chapter ends a little up in the air. Fear not. Chapter 3 is already started and it ends much much better then this one. Enjoy!

Faith wakes up in a cold sweat. It's got to be the smell. Cheap motels all smell the same and it takes Faith a moment or two to realize that this isn't Sunnydale…it takes her another moment to realize that Buffy is fast asleep, curled against Faith's back. "Shit" Faith, thinks to herself "Shit". At least they're both still dressed and it's not like Buffy is even touching her that much. Just her head against Faith's shoulder but that's enough, it makes Faith nervous…and horny. Faith slides herself out of bed as quickly as possible, Buffy mumbles sleepily and Faith is afraid she's going to wake up but she just shifts and continues sleeping. Faith takes a much-needed breath and stares down at Buffy. "Well," Faith thinks to herself taking a little too much time watching Buffy's chest rise and fall. "At least I can rule out that whole, it was just a dream scenario." Faith backs away from the bed, her eyes never leaving Buffy's sleeping form. It's a small room, and it doesn't take Faith long to find her jacket hanging neatly off the back of one of the rooms two tiny chairs. Faith rustles through her pockets; these are the kind of moments that require a cigarette. Faith settles herself into her less then comfortable seat and tries not to notice the slight trembling of her hands as she finally manages to connect cigarette with flame. Faith takes a calming drag and leans back a little keeping her eyes steadily on Buffy as she tries to remember exactly how the older slayer ended up in her bed.

Faith presses her palm against her eyes trying to make the growing headache back up a pace. It helps slightly, Faith takes another drag on her cigarette and the nicotine rush clears her head a little. Buffy and her in the back of the bus, that was clear, Buffy saying she loved her, Faith can feel a deep warmth spread from her cheeks and down her belly sliding directly into her groin, yep that seems accurate enough…then? They'd separated that much was clear; Buffy needed a last check in with Dawn and Co. … "Here," Buffy say's slipping her a motel key. "What?" Faith isn't completely coherent; shock and a good solid ½ a bottle of scotch are making speech extremely difficult. Buffy Summers just slipped her her hotel room key? Did that mean… But Buffy seems to be reading Faith's thought pattern. "It's your room." Buffy stammers quickly "just you, a treat from Giles, it's been so long since any of us slept alone…' Buffy seems to realize how suggestive that sentence is just as she say's it. She blushes, while Faith tries to add those sentences together in a way that makes sense. "You're sending me away?" Faith realizes it comes out slightly accusatorily but she doesn't really mean it. She's just trying to clarify, "NO, no." Buffy interjects quickly, "Well I mean just for a little bit." Faith leans a little precariously to one side and Buffy catches her by her jacket and pulls her in close. "I just need a minute…I mean we could both use a minute…and she's kissing Faith again and this time Faith has enough sense to wrap her arms around Buffy and keep her from running off, but Buffy isn't running and Faith just holds her tight because she feels soo good. Buffy pulls away slowly and chuckles low in her throat and Faith has never heard anything so amazing in her whole life. She tries to pull Buffy into her again but Buffy pushes her away. "I really have to do this…sacred duty and all that." Her tone is serious but her eyes are smiling, Faith smiles back. "I could come." Faith offers. Buffy beams at her and Faith is proud of herself for saying something right. Buffy seems about to say yes but then Faith stumbles again and Buffy catches her and props her against the building. "You're very sweet…" Buffy whispers and Faith is sure she's blushing…no one's called her sweet since grade school and barely even then, Faith refocuses on Buffy's dialogue "…but I'd like to take you out for pancakes later and I feel like that would go over better if you clean up first." Buffy finishes gently. Faith glances down at herself and realizes Buffy's probably right, besides the dirt and blood and other battle issues they've also been riding around in a small-enclosed un-air conditioned bus for half a day. "Yeah" Faith says looking back up at Buffy. "I should hit the showers." and before she can stop herself Faith let's a few more words fall out of her mouth "…care to join me?" Faith knows she's smirking and arching her eyebrow, it's a reflex really, one she's used a few too many times and she's sorry about it as soon as she's said it. Buffy blushes and lowers her eyes for a moment and Faith stammers out an apology. "You've done this before." Buffy says quietly, ignoring Faith's fumbled words. Faith wants to ask what she means exactly, done what? Used cheesy lines, used cheesy lines on girls, showered? But she knows what Buffy's asking, so she just nods. "Sometimes." Faith says. Buffy doesn't look at her. "You haven't." Faith says more as a statement then a question. Buffy meets her eyes and theirs a fierceness there that makes Faith step back a little. "Not yet." Buffy says. Faith let's that sink in a minute. "So was that a yes?" Faith asks hoping it comes off as cocky and non-chalant and not as desperate and needy as she feels. Buffy steps into Faith's personal space and it's all Faith can do not to flinch away from her. Buffy makes sure Faith is looking her in the eye before she leans up to kiss her cheek, only then does she answer. "First you clean up," Buffy says smoothing a strand of Faith's hair behind her ear. "Then we'll see." Buffy finishes and gently pushes Faith off in the direction of the road. "Four blocks down on your right, 212 on the second floor, half hour tops, I promise." And with that Buffy turns into the building and is gone, leaving Faith more then a little dazed stumbling towards the street.

Faith doesn't really remember the rest, but she can piece it together, the stumble across the parking lot, down the block, into her room on the second floor and then apparently the bed. Faith rubs her head a little more as she finishes her cigarette, Buffy must have come to get her and then she stayed and that thought makes Faith smile. Buffy stayed with her, all night Faith smiles some more. Despite the hangover Faith is feeling surprisingly good, Buffy came to get her and she stayed. More then that, Faith realizes, Buffy must have taken care of her, since Faith knows from previous drunken evenings that she is hardly careful about where either her or her stuff ends up when she passes out. But here are all her things neatly in a chair and Faith herself woke up nice and tucked in. And still dirty Faith realizes noticing a long smudge of something on her pants leg. That does it. Faith stabs out the cigarette and heads for the bathroom. "It's a brave new world." She thinks, not sure what it's from but it feels right. Sunnydale is a crater and Faith feels lighter without it, all her indiscretions buried under dust and rubble. A fresh start and she wants to do it right. Faith wants to be clean, really clean, hot water, entire bar of soap, clothes just out of the dryer clean. Years of catholic education try and whisper things about water and redemption but Faith shrugs it off. She doesn't want to probe too deeply into why, just knows it feels right, fresh start, fresh Faith, something she just has to do.

It isn't until after the shower that Faith remembers the issue of clothes. She can't stand the idea of starting her new life in the same, three day old, blood stained jeans. Faith hesitates only a moment before pulling a towel around her waist; almost as an afterthought she wraps a second one around her torso. She wants Buffy and she's pretty sure Buffy wants her but she doesn't want to push it. "Still," Faith thinks drying her hair a little more, "no harm in showing a little skin." Faith smiles to herself picturing how the morning will go, it's still early, she'll smoke another cigarette and wait for Buffy to wake up. And then…Faith grins to herself. She's not kidding herself, the most likely scenario is that Buffy will run out to find a Laundromat and Faith will hang out and watch bad cartoons but even that limited possibility fills Faith with an inexplicable warmth. "Buffy is going to take care of me." Faith thinks and then almost hesitantly, "Buffy loves me." Faith knows she's grinning like an idiot but for once in her life, she doesn't care. Buffy loves her and that changes everything. "Brave new world." Faith whispers and reaches for the door.

"Got to be careful not to wake B," Faith thinks as she cracks open the bathroom and begins sneaking quietly across the worn carpeting. It takes Faith a few steps to work up the courage to look up towards the bed. What she sees makes Faith stop dead in her tracks…Buffy is gone.


End file.
